East Java ESDM Official Named New Suspect in IDR 1.33 Billion Licensing Extortion Case

Surabaya - One more official has been named a suspect in the alleged corruption case involving abuse of authority and illegal levies on licensing at the Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Office of East Java Province. The Assistant for Special Crimes at the East Java High Prosecutor’s Office (Kejati Jatim), I Gede Punia Atmaja, stated that the new suspect, identified by the initials ED, serves as the Head of the Geology and Groundwater Division at the East Java ESDM Office. “The East Java High Prosecutor’s Office has again named one new suspect in the criminal case of corruption involving abuse of authority and illegal levies in the process of applying for licensing issuance at the Energy and Mineral Resources Office of East Java Province, with the initials ED, who has served as Head of the Geology and Groundwater Division since 2024,” he said, as quoted on Wednesday, 29 July 2026. ED becomes the fourth suspect in the case. The three previous suspects are AM, the Head of the East Java ESDM Office for the period August 2024–2026; OS, the Head of the Mining Division at the East Java ESDM Office; and H, who served as Chair of the Groundwater Utilisation Working Team. Based on the investigation results, ED is suspected of playing an active role in the illegal levy practices against applicants for groundwater utilisation permits. Investigators suspect that ED, under the orders and/or with the knowledge of AM, instructed H to demand money outside of the regulations from the applicants. “From the investigation, suspect ED ordered suspect H to request sums of money that were not in accordance with the provisions from 217 permit applicants, totalling IDR 1.33 billion,” he said. Furthermore, ED is also suspected of controlling the management of the illicit funds. Investigators stated that the suspect ordered H to keep books of all receipts and expenditures, while every use of the funds required ED’s approval. “All expenditures had to be approved by suspect ED. The money was then reported to suspect ED and AM,” he said. For his actions, ED is charged under Article 12 letter e or Article 12 letter b of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption, as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001, in conjunction with Article 20 of Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code, as well as Article 606 paragraph (2) of Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code.